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Treaty between Uruguay and Argentina concerning the Rio de la Plata and the
Corresponding Maritime Boundary
19 November 1973
The Governments of the Eastern Republic of Uruguay and the Argentine Republic, motivated by the same spirit of
friendship and harmony as characterized the Ramírez-Sáenz Peña Protocol of 1910 and reaffirmed by the Joint Declaration on the
Outer Limit of the Río de la Plata of 1961 and the Río de la Plata Protocol of 1964, motivated also by the common desire to
remove the difficulties which might arise from any absence of precise legislation with regard to the exercise of their equal rights
over the Río de la Plata and from the failure to define the limit between their respective maritime jurisdictions, and determined to
lay the bases for broader co-operation between the two countries and strengthen the close bonds of traditional friendship and deep
affection that join their peoples, have decided to conclude a treaty which will resolve these issues once and for all according to
the special characteristics of the river and maritime territories involved and the technical requirements of their full use and
exploitation, within the context of respect for the sovereignty and respective rights and interests of the two States.
For this purpose they have appointed as their plenipotentiaries: the Eastern Republic of Uruguay: Dr. Juan Carlos
Blanco, Minister for Foreign Affairs; and the Argentine Republic: Mr. Alberto J. Vignes, Minister for Foreign Affairs and
Worship,
Who, having exchanged their full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed as follows:
PART ONE
RIO DE LA PLATA
CHAPTER I
JURISDICTION
Article 1
The Río de la Plata extends from the Punta Gorda parallel to the imaginary straight line joining Punta del Este (Eastern
Republic of Uruguay) to Punta Rasa del Cabo San Antonio (Argentine Republic), in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty
concerning the boundary constituted by the River Uruguay of 7 April 1961 and the Joint Declaration on the Outer Limit of the
Río de la Plata, of 30 January 1961.
Article 2
A belt of exclusive jurisdiction is hereby established adjacent to each Party's coasts on the river.
This coastal belt shall be seven nautical miles wide between the outer limit of the river and the imaginary straight line
joining Colonia (Eastern Republic of Uruguay) to Punta Lara (Argentine Republic), and two nautical miles wide from this latter
line to the Punta Gorda parallel. However, its outer limits shall be inflected as necessary so that they do not go beyond the edges
of channels in waters shared by the Parties and so that port access channels are included.
Such limits shall be no closer than 500 metres to the edges of channels situated in shared waters, nor shall they be more
than 500 metres from the edges and the mouth of port access channels.
Article 3
Outside the coastal belts, each Party's jurisdiction shall also apply to vessels flying its flag.
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The same jurisdiction shall also apply to vessels flying the flags of third parties involved in accidents with that Party's
vessels.
Notwithstanding the provisions of the first and second paragraphs, the jurisdiction of one Party shall apply in all cases
in which its security is affected or in which unlawful acts are committed which have effect in its territory, regardless of the flag
flown by the vessel involved.
Where the security of both Parties is affected or the unlawful act has effect in both territories, the jurisdiction of the
Party whose coastal belt is closer than that of the other Party to the place where the vessel was apprehended shall apply.
Article 4
In cases not covered by article 3 and without prejudice to the specific provisions of other articles of this Treaty, the
jurisdiction of either Party shall apply according to the criterion of greater proximity of one or other coastal belt to the place in
which the events in question occur.
Article 5
The supervising authority which discovers an unlawful act may pursue the offending vessel up to the limit of the
coastal belt of the other Party.
If the offending vessel enters that coastal belt, the co-operation of the other Party shall be sought and that Party shall in
all cases hand over the offender so that he can be brought before the authority which initiated the pursuit.
Article 6
The authorities of one Party may seize a vessel flying the flag of the other Party when the latter is caught in flagrant
violation of the provisions governing fishing, conservation and preservation of living resources, and pollution, in force in their
shared waters and shall notify that Party immediately and place the offending vessel at the disposal of its authorities.
CHAPTER II
NAVIGATION AND WORKS
Article 7
Each Party shall, permanently and in all circumstances, recognize the freedom of navigation throughout the river of
vessels flying the other's flag.
Article 8
The Parties hereby undertake to maintain the facilities which they have thus far accorded one another for access to their
respective ports.
Article 9
The Parties hereby undertake to develop appropriate navigation aids and buoying in their respective coastal belts and to
co-ordinate the development of such aids and buoying in their shared waters, outside of channels, in order to facilitate navigation
and ensure its safety.
Article 10
The Parties shall be entitled to use, on equal terms and in all circumstances, all channels situated in their shared waters.
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Article 11
In shared waters, the navigation of public and private vessels of the countries of the Río de la Plata Basin and public
and private merchant vessels flying the flags of third countries shall be permitted, without prejudice to the rights already granted
by the Parties under existing treaties. Furthermore, each Party shall permit the passage of warships flying the flags of third
countries and authorized by the other Party, provided that this does not adversely affect its public policy or security.
Article 12
Outside the coastal belts, the Parties may either jointly or individually build channels or other types of works in
accordance with the provisions of articles 17 to 22.
The Party which builds or has built a work shall be responsible for its maintenance and administration.
The Party which builds or has built a channel shall likewise draw up the corresponding regulations, monitor compliance
therewith by the appropriate means and be responsible for the extraction, removal and demolition of vessels, naval artifacts,
aircraft, shipwreck or cargo remains and any other objects which constitute an obstacle or a threat to navigation and have sunk or
run aground in that channel.
Article 13
In cases not covered by article 12, the Parties shall co-ordinate, through the Administrative Commission, the reasonable
sharing of responsibilities for the maintenance, administration and regulation of the different sections of channels, taking into
account the special interests of each Party and the works carried out by each of them.
Article 14
All regulations governing channels situated in shared waters and their substantial or permanent modification shall be
enacted following consultation with the other Party.
In no case and under no circumstances may any regulations cause significant damage to the navigation interests of
either of the Parties.
Article 15
Civil, criminal and administrative liability deriving from factors which adversely affect navigation in a channel, the use
of such channel or its installations, shall fall within the competence of the authorities of the Party which maintains and
administers the channel and shall be governed by its legislation.
Article 16
The Administrative Commission shall share between the Parties the obligation to extract, remove or demolish vessels,
naval artifacts, aircraft, shipwreck or cargo remains or any other objects which constitute an obstacle or a threat to navigation and
have sunk or run aground outside of channels, taking into account the criterion established in article 4 and the interests of each
Party.
Article 17
If one Party plans to build new channels, substantially modify or alter existing ones or carry out any other works, it
shall notify the Administrative Commission, which shall determine on a preliminary basis and within a maximum period of 30
days whether the plan might cause significant damage to the navigation interests of the other Party or the régime of the river.
If the Commission finds this to be the case and if agreement cannot be reached in that regard, the Party concerned shall
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notify the other Party of the plan through the same Commission.
Such notification shall specify the main aspects of the work and, where appropriate, how it is to be carried out and any
other technical data enabling the notified Party to assess the probable impact of such works on navigation or the régime of the
river.
Article 18
The notified Party shall have a period of 180 days in which to respond concerning the plan, starting from the date on
which its delegation to the Administrative Commission receives the notification.
Should the documentation referred to in article 17 be incomplete, the notified Party shall have 30 days in which to so
inform, through the Administrative Commission, the Party which plans to carry out the work.
The period of 180 days mentioned above shall begin only on the day on which the delegation of the notified Party
receives the full documentation.
This period may be extended at the discretion of the Administrative Commission if the complexity of the plan so
requires.
Article 19
If the notified Party raises no objections or does not respond within the period established in article 18, the other Party
may carry out or authorize the planned work.
The notified Party shall also be entitled to choose to participate on an equal footing in carrying out the work, in which
case it shall so notify the other Party, through the Administrative Commission, within the period referred to in the preceding
paragraph.
Article 20
The notified Party shall have the right to inspect the works being carried out in order to determine whether they
conform to the submitted plan.
Article 21
Should the notified Party come to the conclusion that the execution of the work or the programme of operations might
cause significant damage to navigation in or the régime of the river, it shall so notify the other Party, through the Administrative
Commission, within the period of 180 days established in article 18.
Such notification shall specify which aspects of the work or the programme of operations might cause significant
damage to navigation in or the régime of the river, the technical reasons on which this conclusion is based and the changes
suggested to the plan or programme of operations.
Article 22
Should the parties fail to reach agreement within a period of 180 days from the notification referred to in article 21, the
procedure indicated in Part Four (Settlement of Disputes) shall be followed.
CHAPTER III
PILOTAGE
Article 23
The profession of pilot on the river shall be exercised only by qualified pilots authorized by the authorities of one or
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other of the Parties.
Article 24
Any vessel departing from an Argentine or Uruguayan port shall take on a pilot of the nationality of the port of
departure.
Vessels coming from outside the river shall take on a pilot of the nationality of the port of destination.
No contract which the vessel may have, outside port, with the authority of either of the Parties shall alter the criterion
originally followed to determine the nationality of the pilot.
In other cases not envisaged above, the pilot may be of either Argentine or Uruguayan nationality without distinction.
Article 25
Once they have completed their pilotage tasks, Argentine and Uruguayan pilots may disembark freely in the ports of
either Party entered by the vessels in which they fulfilled those tasks.
The Parties shall extend to the above-mentioned pilots all necessary facilities for the optimum performance of their
duties.
Article 26
The Parties shall establish, in their respective regulations, parallel norms governing pilotage in the river and the régime
of exemptions.
CHAPTER IV
PORT FACILITIES, UNLOADING
AND ADDITIONAL LOADING
Article 27
The Parties hereby undertake to conduct the necessary studies and take the necessary steps to ensure the maximum
efficiency of their port services, in order to offer optimum performance and safety conditions, and to expand the facilities which
they accord each other in their respective ports.
Article 28
Without prejudice to the provisions of article 27, cargo unloading and additional loading tasks shall be carried out
exclusively in areas established by the Administrative Commission according to technical and safety requirements with regard to
pollutant or dangerous cargoes.
There shall always be an equal number of areas situated off the coasts of each Party but outside their respective coastal
belts.
Article 29
The areas referred to in article 28 may be used by either Party without distinction.
Article 30
The authorities of the Party for whose port the unloaded cargo is bound shall supervise unloading operations.
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Article 31
The authorities of the Party from whose port the additional cargo comes shall supervise additional cargo loading
operations.
Article 32
In cases where the ports of destination and origin of the cargo belong to third States, unloading and additional cargo
loading operations shall be supervised by the Argentine or the Uruguayan authorities, according to whether they are carried out in
areas closer to one or other Party's coastal belt, in conformity with the provisions of article 28.
CHAPTER V
SAFEGUARDING OF HUMAN LIFE
Article 33
Outside of the coastal belts, the authority of the Party which initiates a search and rescue operation shall direct that
operation.
Article 34
The authority initiating a search and rescue operation shall immediately notify thereof the competent authority of the
other Party.
Article 35
When the magnitude of the operation so warrants, the authority of the Party which is directing the operation may
request assistance from the authority of the other Party, while maintaining control of the operation and undertaking to provide
information on its progress.
Article 36
When, for whatever reason, the authority of one Party cannot initiate or continue a search and rescue operation, it shall
request the authority of the other Party to take over the direction and conduct of that operation, extending it all possible
co-operation.
Article 37
Surface or air units of either Party engaged in search and rescue operations may enter or leave either territory without
fulfilling the normal formalities.
CHAPTER VI
SALVAGING
Article 38
A vessel flying the flag of one of the Parties outside the coastal belts may be salvaged by the authority or corporations
of either Party, at the choice of the captain or owner of the stricken vessel, without prejudice to the provisions governing such
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choice set forth in the domestic regulations of each Party.
However, the task of salvaging a vessel flying the flag of either of the Parties and stricken in a channel located in their
shared waters shall be carried out by the authority or corporations of the Party administering that channel when the stricken
vessel constitutes an obstacle or a threat to navigation in the channel.
Article 39
The salvaging of a vessel flying the flag of a third State shall be carried out by the authority or corporations of the Party
whose coastal belt is closest to the place where the vessel requesting assistance is located.
However, the task of salvaging a vessel flying the flag of a third State and stricken in a channel located in their shared
waters shall be carried out by the authority or corporations of the Party administering that channel.
Article 40
Without prejudice to articles 38 and 39, when the authority or corporations of the Party responsible for salvaging are
unable to perform that task, it may be carried out by the authority or corporations of the other Party.
The inability to salvage referred to in the preceding paragraph shall be communicated immediately to the other Party.
CHAPTER VII
BED AND SUBSOIL
Article 41
Each Party may explore and exploit the resources of the bed and subsoil of the river in the areas adjacent to its own
coastline, up to the line determined by the following geographical points traced on the charts made by the Uruguayan-Argentine
Joint Commission for the Comprehensive Surveying of the Río de la Plata, published by the Naval Hydrographic Service of the
Argentine Republic, which form part of this Treaty:
Chart H-118
Points
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
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Second edition 1972
Latitude South
33° 55.0'
33° 57.3'
34° 00.0'
34° 02.3'
34° 06.2'
34° 07.4'
34° 09.0'
34° 10.0'
34° 12.0'
34° 13.3'
34° 15.2'
34° 17.7'
34° 20.0'
34° 21'7'
34° 22.8'
34° 26.6'
34° 33.0'
Longitude West
58° 25.3'
58° 24.3'
58° 22.6'
58° 20.7'
58° 20.0'
58° 19.4'
58° 19.0'
58° 17.6'
58° 15.1'
58° 12.5'
58° 10.0'
58° 05.5'
58° 03.9'
58° 01.2'
58° 00.6'
57° 56.4'
57° 56.1'
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18
34° 40.0'
57° 57.1'
Chart H-117
Points
19
20
21
Second edition 1973
Latitude South
34° 47.0'
34° 52.0'
35° 11.0'
Longitude West
57° 32.0'
57° 20.0'
57° 00.0'
Chart H-113
Points
22
23
First edition 1969
Latitude South
35° 10.3'
35° 38.0'
Longitude West
56° 43.0'
55° 52.0'
Article 42
Installations or other works required for the exploration or exploitation of the resources of the bed and subsoil shall not
interfere with navigation on the river in the passages or channels normally used.
Article 43
Any mineral deposit which extends on both sides of the line established in article 41 shall be mined in such a way that
the volumes of the resources extracted from that deposit are shared proportionally to the overall volume of the deposit to be
found on each side of the line.
Each Party shall mine such deposits without causing significant damage to the other Party and in accordance with the
requirements of a thorough and rational use of the resource in keeping with the criterion established in the preceding paragraph.
CHAPTER VIII
ISLANDS
Article 44
Existing islands or those which may emerge in future in the river shall belong to one or other Party according to whether
they are situated on one or other side of the line indicated in article 41, with the exception of Martén Garcéa Island which shall be
governed by the provisions of article 45.
Article 45
Martén Garcéa Island shall be used exclusively as a nature reserve for the conservation and preservation of indigenous
fauna and flora, under the jurisdiction of the Argentine Republic, without prejudice to the provisions of article 63.
Article 46
If Martén Garcéa Island becomes joined to another island in the future, the corresponding boundary shall be drawn
following the outline of Martén Garcéa Island yielded by chart H-118 referred to in article 41. However, any increase in the land
mass of Martén Garcéa Island as a result of alluvium, which affects its present natural means of access to the Martén Garcéa
(Buenos Aires) and Infierno channels, shall belong to the Island.
CHAPTER IX
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POLLUTION
Article 47
For the purposes of this Treaty, pollution shall mean the direct or indirect introduction by man into the aquatic
environment of substances or energy which have harmful effects.
Article 48
Each Party undertakes to protect and preserve the aquatic environment and, in particular, to prevent its pollution, by
enacting appropriate rules and adopting appropriate measures in accordance with applicable international agreements and
adjusted, where relevant, to the guidelines and recommendations of international technical bodies.
Article 49
The Parties undertake not to reduce in their respective legal systems:
(a)
The technical requirements in force for preventing water pollution, and
(b)
The severity of the penalties established for violations.
Article 50
The Parties undertake to inform one another of any rules which they plan to enact with regard to water pollution.
Article 51
Each Party shall be liable to the other for damage inflicted as a result of pollution caused by its own activities or by those
of individuals or legal entities domiciled in its territory.
Article 52
The jurisdiction of each Party with regard to any violation of pollution laws shall be exercised without prejudice to the
rights of the other Party to obtain compensation for the damage it has suffered as a result of such violation.
The Parties shall co-operate with one another to this end.
CHAPTER X
FISHING
Article 53
Each Party shall enjoy exclusive fishing rights in its own coastal belt indicated in article 2.
Outside the coastal belts, each Party shall grant to vessels flying the other's flag the freedom to fish in the river.
Article 54
The Parties shall agree on rules governing fishing activities in the river with regard to the conservation and preservation
of living resources.
Article 55
When the volume of fishing activity so requires, the Parties shall agree on maximum catches per species and the
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corresponding periodic adjustments. Such catches shall be shared equally between the Parties.
Article 56
The Parties shall exchange relevant information regularly on fishing activities and catches per species and the list of
vessels authorized to fish in their shared waters.
CHAPTER XI
RESEARCH
Article 57
Each Party shall be entitled to conduct scientific studies and research throughout the river, provided that it gives advance
notice to the other Party, indicating the nature of such studies and research, and informs that Party of the results obtained.
Each Party shall, moreover, be entitled to participate in all phases of any study or research undertaken by the other Party.
Article 58
The Parties shall promote the conduct of joint, mutually beneficial scientific studies and, in particular, studies for the
comprehensive surveying of the river.
CHAPTER XII
ADMINISTRATIVE COMMISSION
Article 59
The Parties hereby set up a joint commission, to be called the Administrative Commission of the Río de la Plata,
consisting of an equal number of representatives from each Party.
Article 60
The Administrative Commission shall be given legal status in order to perform its functions. The Parties shall provide it
with the necessary resources and all the information and facilities essential to its operation.
Article 61
The Administrative Commission may set up whatever technical bodies it deems necessary.
It shall function on a permanent basis and shall have its own secretariat.
Article 62
The Parties shall agree, by exchange of notes, on the Statute of the Administrative Commission. The Commission shall
draw up its own rules of procedure.
Article 63
The Parties hereby agree to assign Martén Garcéa Island as the headquarters of the Administrative Commission.
The Administrative Commission shall have the necessary premises and land for its operations and shall build and
administer a park dedicated to the memory of the heroes common to both peoples, respecting the jurisdiction and the use agreed
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to in article 45. The Argentine Republic shall have the necessary premises, facilitities and land for the exercise of its jurisdiction.
The corresponding headquarters agreement shall include provisions regulating the relationship between the Argentine
Republic and the Commission, on the basis of which the headquarters assigned in accordance with the first paragraph of this
article shall be protected by immunity and the other privileges established by international law.
Article 64
The Administrative Commission shall, in due course, conclude agreements with both Parties specifying the privileges
and immunities granted to its members and staff under international law.
Article 65
For the adoption of decisions of the Administrative Commission, each delegation shall have one vote.
Article 66
The Administrative Commission shall perform the following functions:
(a)
Promote the joint conduct of scientific studies and research, with special reference to the evaluation,
conservation, preservation and rational exploitation of living resources and the prevention and elimination of pollution and other
harmful effects which may derive from the use, exploration and exploitation of the waters of the river;
(b)
Enact regulating fishing activities in the river with regard to the conservation and preservation of living
resources;
(c)
Co-ordinate regulations governing pilotage;
(d)
Co-ordinate the adoption of joint plans, handbooks, terminology and means of communication for search and
rescue operations;
(e)
Establish the procedure to follow and the information to provide in cases where the units of one Party
participating in search and rescue operations enter or leave the territory of the other Party;
(f)
Determine the formalities to fulfil in cases where materials for the conduct of search and rescue operations must
be introduced, on a temporary basis, into the territory of the other Party;
(g)
Co-ordinate navigation aids and buoying;
(h)
Establish unloading and additional loading areas in accordance with article 28;
(i)
Transmit as soon as possible to the Parties any communications, consultations, information and notifications
which they may send one another in accordance with Part One of this Treaty;
(j)
Perform any other functions assigned to it by this Treaty and those which the Parties may agree to entrust to it in
its Statute or through an exchange of notes or other form of agreement.
Article 67
The Administrative Commission shall report periodically to the Governments of both Parties on the progress of its
activities.
CHAPTER XIII
CONCILIATION PROCEDURE
Article 68
Any dispute which may arise between the Parties concerning the Río de la Plata shall be considered by the
Administrative Commission at the proposal of either Party.
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Article 69
If the Commission is unable to reach an agreement within a period of 120 days, it shall so notify the two Parties which
shall attempt to resolve the issue by means of direct negotiations.
PART TWO
MARITIME BOUNDARY
CHAPTER XIV
MARITIME LATERAL LIMIT
Article 70
The maritime lateral limit, and that of the continental shelf, between the Eastern Republic of Uruguay and the Argentine
Republic shall be the line of equidistance determined by the adjacent coasts method, starting from the mid-point of the baseline
constituted by the imaginary straight line joining Punta del Este (Eastern Republic of Uruguay) to Punta Rasa del Cabo San
Antonio (Argentine Republic).
Article 71
A mineral deposit which extends on both sides of the limit established in article 70 shall be mined in such a way that the
volumes of the resource extracted from that deposit are shared proportionally to the overall volume of the deposit to be found on
each side of that limit.
Each Party shall mine such mineral deposits without causing significant damage to the other Party and in accordance
with the requirements of a thorough and rational use of the resource in keeping with the criterion established in the first
paragraph.
CHAPTER XV
NAVIGATION
Article 72
Both Parties hereby guarantee freedom of navigation on and flight over the seas under their respective jurisdictions
beyond 12 nautical miles measured from the corresponding baselines and, in the mouth of the Río de la Plata, from its outer limit,
without any restrictions other than those deriving from the exercise by each Party of its powers with regard to the exploration,
conservation and exploitation of resources: environmental protection and preservation; scientific research and the construction
and installation of facilities; and the powers referred to in article 86.
CHAPTER XVI
FISHING
Article 73
The Parties hereby agree to establish a common fishing zone, beyond 12 nautical miles measured from the corresponding
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coastal baselines, for duly registered vessels flying their flag. Such zone shall be that determined by two arcs of circumferences
of a radius of 200 nautical miles, the centres of which are located at Punta del Este (Eastern Republic of Uruguay) and Punta
Rasa del Cabo San Antonio (Argentine Republic) respectively.
Article 74
Catch volumes per species shall be shared equitably, in proportion to the fish resources of each Party evaluated
according to scientific and economic criteria.
Any volume which either Party authorizes vessels flying the flag of third States to catch shall be charged to that Party's
quota.
Article 75
The areas established in fishing licences issued by the Argentine Republic and the Eastern Republic of Uruguay to
vessels flying the flags of third States in their respective maritime jurisdictions may not extend beyond the line established in
article 70.
Article 76
The Parties shall exercise the corresponding control and supervision on both sides, respectively, of the line referred to in
article 75 and shall co-ordinate such functions as required.
The Parties shall exchange the list of vessels flying their respective flags and operating in the common zone.
Article 77
In no case shall the provisions of this chapter apply to the capture of aquatic mammals.
CHAPTER XVII
POLLUTION
Article 78
The discharge of hydrocarbons coming from the cleaning of tankers, the draining of bilges and the removal of ballast
and, in general, any other action which could cause pollution is hereby prohibited in the area between the following imaginary
lines:
(a)
From Punta del Este (Eastern Republic of Uruguay) to
(b)
A point at latitude 36° 14' south, longitude 53° 32' west; from here to
(c)
A point at latitude 37° 32' south, longitude 55° 23 west; from here to
(d)
Punta Rasa del Cabo San Antonio (Argentine Republic); and, finally, from here to the initial point at Punta del
Este.
CHAPTER XVIII
RESEARCH
Article 79
Each Party shall authorize the other to conduct studies and research of a purely scientific nature in its respective maritime
jurisdiction, within the common zone established in article 73, provided that the other Party has given it adequate advance notice
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and has indicated the nature of the studies or research to be carried out and the areas and periods of time which they are to be
conducted.
Such authorization shall be denied only in exceptional circumstances and for limited periods.
The authorizing Party shall be entitled to participate in all phases of such studies and research and to be informed of and
have access to their results.
CHAPTER XIX
JOINT TECHNICAL COMMISSION
Article 80
The Parties hereby set up a Joint Technical Commission, consisting of an equal number of representatives from each
Party, which shall be responsible for conducting studies and adopting and co-ordinating plans and measures for the conservation,
preservation and rational exploitation of living resources and the protection of the marine environment in the common zone
established in article 73.
Article 81
The Joint Technical Commission shall be given legal status in order to perform its functions and shall have the necessary
funds for these purposes.
Article 82
The Joint Technical Commission shall perform the following functions:
(a)
Establish and periodically adjust catch volumes per species and share them between the Parties in accordance
with the provisions of article 74;
(b)
Promote the joint conduct of scientific studies and research, particularly in the common zone, with special
reference to the evaluation, conservation, preservation and rational exploitation of living resources and the prevention and
elimination of pollution and other harmful effects which may derive from the use, exploration and exploitation of the marine
environment;
(c)
Make recommendations and submit projects for ensuring that the value and balance of bio-ecological systems are
maintained;
(d)
Establish standards and measures for the rational exploitation of species in the common zone and the prevention
and elimination of pollution;
(e)
Draw up plans for the preservation, conservation and development of living resources in the common zone, for
consideration by the Governments of the two Parties;
(f)
Promote studies and present projects for harmonizing the laws of the two Parties governing matters with which
the Commission is entrusted;
(g)
Transmit as soon as possible to the Parties any communications, consultations and information which they may
exchange in accordance with Part Two of this Treaty;
(h)
Perform any other functions which the Parties may assign to it in its Statute or through an exchange of notes or
other form of agreement.
Article 83
The Joint Technical Commission shall have its headquarters at the city of Montevideo, but may meet in the territories of
either Party.
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Article 84
The Parties shall agree, by exchange of notes, on the Statute of the Joint Technical Commission. The Commission shall
drawn up its own rules of procedure.
PART THREE
DEFENCE
CHAPTER XX
Article 85
Matters relating to the defence of the entire Río de la Plata focal area shall fall within the exclusive competence of the
Parties.
Article 86
In exercising its right of self-defence in the face of a threat of aggression, each Party may adopt the necessary transitional
measures to that end in the focal area, outside the respective coastal belts of exclusive jurisdiction in the Río de la Plata and a belt
of 12 nautical miles measured from the respective coastal baselines of the territorial sea, without causing significant damage to
the other Party.
PART FOUR
SETTLEMENT OF DISPUTES
CHAPTER XXI
Article 87
Any dispute concerning the interpretation or application of this Treaty which cannot be settled by direct negotiations may
be submitted by either of the Parties to the International Court of Justice.
In the cases referred to in articles 68 and 69, either Party may submit any dispute concerning the interpretation or
application of this Treaty to the International Court of Justice, when it has not been possible to settle the dispute within a period
of 180 days following the notification referred to in article 69.
PART FIVE
TRANSITIONAL AND FINAL PROVISIONS
CHAPTER XXII
TRANSITIONAL PROVISIONS
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Article 88
Until such time as the Administrative Commission establishes the unloading and additional loading areas referred to in
article 28, the following areas are hereby established for this purpose:
Area A: Between the parallels latitude 35° 4' and 35°38' south and the meridians longitude 56°00' and 56°02' west;
Area B: Between the parallels latitude 35° 30' and 35°33' south and the meridians longitude 56°30' and 56°36' west.
Article 89
The Administrative Commission shall be set up within 60 days following the exchange of the instruments of ratification
of this Treaty.
Article 90
The Parties shall publicize in due course, in the corresponding nautical maps, the line marking the maritime lateral limit.
Article 91
The Joint Technical Commission shall be set up within 60 days following the exchange of the instruments of ratification
of this Treaty.
CHAPTER XXIII
RATIFICATION AND ENTRY INTO FORCE
Article 92
This Treaty shall be ratified in accordance with the procedures set forth in the Parties' respective legal systems and shall
enter into force by the exchange of the instruments of ratification, which shall take place at the city of Buenos Aires.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF the above-mentioned plenipotentiaries hereby sign and seal two identical copies at the city of
Montevideo on 19 November 1973.
DOALOS/OLA - UNITED NATIONS